Charter schools could be wedge in board race

Published: Friday, August 1, 2014 at 7:21 p.m.

Last Modified: Friday, August 1, 2014 at 7:21 p.m.

SARASOTA - In recent years, the number of students enrolled in charter schools has soared in Sarasota County as more of them opened.

Enrollment for 2014-15 is expected to be about 6,650 students — up 15 percent from last school year, when there were 5,759, and more than three times as many as there were 10 years ago.

The fate of those charter schools rests with the Sarasota County School Board, making the Aug. 26 election, with three seats up for grabs on the board, a potential pivot point. The board votes on charter applications annually and decides whether the schools should receive millions of dollars from the extra 1-mill, voter-approved property tax that was extended this year.

Late Friday was the deadline to submit a charter application for a school to open its doors in 2015-16. The district will release information on the applicants on Monday, officials said.

The School Board is tentatively scheduled to discuss the applications at a Sept. 16 workshop and vote on whether to green light the charters Nov. 4.

The eight candidates fighting for three seats on the five-member School Board differ in their opinions on charter schools.

Some see charters as giving parents more choices and increasing competition that only makes traditional public schools better. Others are concerned by the growing number of charter schools and believe they are siphoning taxpayer dollars from the district.

Charter schools are publicly funded but run by their own boards — outside of the Sarasota County School Board's control.

One candidate, Paul Schafer, a challenger for the District 1 seat, took the strongest stance and said the district needs a moratorium on future charter schools.

“I think we are cannibalizing our school system. The charter schools operate outside the authority of the School Board,” said Schafer, one of four candidates fighting for the seat now held by Bridget Ziegler, recently appointed by the governor to complete the term of Carol Todd.

“I have nothing against charter schools. I think they are good. But I think we have enough in Sarasota . . . I think we need to take a step back. I want to ask the people, the voters, how many are enough? Do we want 20? 25? Do we want 100?”

But Ziegler, who is running to keep the District 1 seat, disagreed, saying there should not be a ban on charter schools because they give parents more choices and create healthy competition.

“I do not want to close the doors for the opportunity of charter schools,” Ziegler said. “We want successful schools. If that means charter schools, then that should be OK.”

As Schafer acknowledged, ultimately, the School Board doesn't have the final say — which makes an outright ban almost impossible.

Charter school applicants can seek appeal to a state commission and ultimately, the State Board of Education, to overturn a local school board's decision.

“There's no way to really set a cap on the number of charter schools,” said Ken Marsh, another District 1 candidate, who wants to evaluate future charter schools on a case-by-case basis.

It was a sentiment echoed by several candidates, who said they wanted to look at each charter before deciding whether to approve a school and share part of the 1-mill property. In the 2013-14 year, the district earmarked $6 million from the referendum proceeds to 10 charter schools.

Randy McLendon, a District 5 challenger who is pro-charter school, cited a recent case — the Imagine School at North Port, in which the local governing board fought with its Virginia-based parent company — in saying the schools should be managed here.

“If local control is good for public schools, it's got to be good for our charter schools, too,” McLendon said.

Other candidates — including his opponent, incumbent Jane Goodwin — agreed that for-profit companies and out-of-town groups, like Imagine, raised red flags as charter school applications.

What's important was making sure the charter schools are well-run and offered unique programs, said Velton Hodges, the other District 1 challenger.

“If you got your finances in order, your administration in order, you got a building, then tell me what your program is,” Hodges said. “If you can convince me of that, I'm all for it.”

Incumbent Shirley Brown said it's important for charter schools to fill niches and not duplicate what the traditional public schools are already providing.

“The big push for charter schools was to give parent an alternative to failing schools,” said Brown, who is running for re-election against challenger Helen Wolff. “We have no 'D' or 'F' schools in Sarasota County. So then you look, what is it we're not providing? Is there something special your school can offer that we're missing?”

Wolff said she supports charter schools, but said the district needs to closely monitor the ones with low test scores.

“Charter schools are able to offer sometimes better educational programs, perhaps more responsive teachers. They do not have the same stringent rules and regulations,” she said.

Goodwin, the board chair from District 4, said she was wary of giving new charter schools additional tax money, especially if they were virtual schools or the organizers were from out of state.

“The well doesn't always flow and replenish. We have to look carefully at the future ones coming in,” Goodwin said, adding she didn't want a broad policy but preferred to evaluate each charter application individually.

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